Safety device for can machines



H. L. GUENTHER SAFETY DBVCE FOR CAN MACIINES July 7, 1925.

.illllillJH CM. f

1... il L. Lr @MT mw i 4 W WL .m WW /W und July 7, 1925.

1,545,140 H. L.. GUENTHER SAFETY DEVICE FOR CAN MACHINES Filed Jan. 2, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' www fwn/3.

Patented July 7, 1925.

UNITED STATES HENRY L. GUENTHER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SAFETY nEvIc-E Eon CAN MACHINES.

Application filed.` January 2, 1923. Serial No. 610,144.

To all 'whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known t-hat I, HENRY L. GUENTHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Can Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to can and can cap feed mechanisms` and particularly pertains to an automatic stop device for a mechanism such as set forth in my Patent No. 1,454,383 entitled Can cap feed, dated May 8, 1923.

lt is the object 0f the present invent-ion to provide an automatically operating device for use in connection with can and can cap feed mechanisms, which device is adapted to cause the said 4mechanisms to immediately cease operating in the event that a can cap is not fed co-incidently with the feeding of a can.

The invention contemplates the use of a device engageable with the cans and can caps as they are being independently fed to a seaming machine. The device is also operatively connected with the driving shaft clutch of the feed mechanism and is adapted to disengage the same if a cap is not fed in proper timed relation to the feeding of a can.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in plan disclosing a -device embodying the invent-ion.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical section disclosing the details of construction.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates a rotatable horizontally disposed feed disc. This member is adapted to receive can bodies successively delivered from a. conveyor (not shown) and cause them to travel towards the receivingr end of a seaming machine (not shown). The can bodies fed by the feeddisc 10 are delivered thereby between guide rails 11 and 12. These rails, as shown, extending vpartially around a shaft 14 and around which shaft a plurality of differentially operating feed members 15 swing. Each of the feed members 15 are formed with semi-circular recessed ends in which the can bodies nest. The members 15 are also provided with can cap feed blades 16, which are adapted to engage the lowermost cap feed from a cap magazine 17, to carry the cap between the track members 18 and 19.

The can cap magazine is mounted above the differentially operating feed members and comprises a frame having a base plate 20'which supports a plurality of vertical guide posts 21. The caps are disposed in stack formation between these posts.

The plate 20 is formed with a central opening of a size to permit the can caps to fall onto a track composed of track members 18 and'19. Slideways are formed between the frame of the magazine and the plate 20, and are adapted to receive plates 22 whlch are disposed one on each side of the `can stack. The innermost edges of these plates normally support the can stack, and are formed with blade portions which are adapted to separate the lowermost cap from the stack. The plates 22 are connected by a crosshead 23 and are adapted to reciprocate 1n a horizontal plane beneath the stack of caps. To accomplish this movement the crosshead 23 is connected to a crank arm 24 by a p'itman 25. The crank arm 24 is secured on an operating shaft 26. It is obvious that rotation of the shaft 26 will be translated into reciprocating movement of the plates 22.

rlhe crosshead carries a central push {inger 27 which engages the lowermost can cap and feeds it forwardly.

The shafts 14 and 28 of the feed disc 10 and the arms 15 are driven from a driving shaft 29 by a train of gears (not here shown). The driving shaft 29 is provided with a clutch and brake 30 by which it may be either connected to or disconnected from a main drive shaft (not shown).

It is desirable to disengage the clutch mentioned and thereby cause the feed mechanism described, to cease operations in the event that a cap is not fed simultaneously with a can body. To this end l provide an automatically operating mechanism indicatedat 31. This mechanism comprises a vertical shaft 32, to the upper end of which is secured a feeler lever 33. This lever is formed with an inturned end 34 operating in a slot formed transversely through the guide track 19. Secured on this shaft adjacent the lower end thereof, is an arm 36 which is connected by a link 37 to a pawl 38. The latter is mounted on a knee 39 which is turnable on a stud shaft 40 and pivotally connected to a connecting coL 'be delivered to each can.

link 41 as at 42. As shown in Fig. 2 a tension spring 43 is provided and is intended to exert a constant inward pull on the arm 36 and the feeler lever 33, with the purpose of placing the pawl 38 into engagement with a somewhat star shaped cam 44. The latter as shown in the drawings is secured on the shaft 14.

The connecting link 41 is connected as at 45 to an operating lever 46.y This lever in turn is connected to a clutch shifting lever 47 by a connection 48. This connection as shown, is provided with a spring barrel 49 for taking up any lost motion in the different connections. It also makes it possible to apply a certain pressure on the brake, which as described, is operated in unison with the clutch for quickly stopping the machine.

A second vertical shaft 50 is provided and is positioned adjacent the shaft 32 and serves as a pivotal mounting for a tripping lever 51 which is secured thereon. This lever is normally held in the pat1 of travel of the can bodies by a tension spring 52 and a pin 53. The latter extends through the shaft 50 as shown, and acts with the spring to maintain the lever 5l in its innermost position. The pin, however, limits the inward travel of the lever 51.

The tripping lever 5l is formed with an extension 54, the end of which engages a stop lever 55 which is secured on the vertical shaft 32. Such engagement prevents inward swinging movement of the feeler lever 33 and the arm 36 when a can body is not in engagement with the inner end of the tripping lever 51. However, when a can body is in an engaging position, the tripping lever will be swung toits outermost position and remove its extension from engagement with the stop lever 55, thus permitting free movement of the shaft 32, if a can cap is not fed from the magazine.

In operation of the present invention it will be assumed that the various operating shafts are in operation and that can bodies are being constantly delivered to the arms 15 by the disc 10. As the cap feed mechanism operates in timed relation to the feed disc and arms, it is obvious that a cap will A can body in reaching the point indicated at A in Fig. 1 will force the tripping lever 5l outwardly and release the stop lever 55, causing the feeler lever 33 and the arm 36 to attempt to swing inwardly due to the spring 43. If 'a cap is in position, the inturned end of the fecler lever will engage the same and prevent -turning of the shaft 32 and consequently maintain the pawl 38 out of engagement with the cam 44. However, if for any reason a cap is not delivered from the magazine when a can reaches thedpoint A,

the feeler lever will swing inwar turning the shaft 32 and swing the arm 36, and move the link 37 inwardly causing the pawl 38 to engage with the cam 44. Upon such engagement, the cam will swing the .knee 39 about its pivotal point and impart movement in the direction of the arrow a to the connecting link 41. Such movement will tend to swing the operating lever 45 about its pivotal point and consequently actuate the clutch and brake through the connection 48 and the shifting lever 47. The clutch thus disengaged and the brake applied, will of course stop the machine. The operator attracted by the stopping of the machine may remedy the cause and throw in the clutch to continue operations.

p From the foregoing it is obvious that a very simple mechanism is provided, which will co-operate with a can and cap feed mechanism to instantly cause the latter to cease operations in the event that a cap is not fed to each can.

Although in the foregoing description and in the drawings I have s ecifically shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I wish it understood that various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with a seaming machine, a continuous and positively operating device for consecutively feeding cans to the machine at equal intervals, a can cap feeding mechanism operating in synchronism therewith and normally acting to feed can caps to can bodies passing therebeneath, means for automatically interrupting the operation of the can and cap feeding mechanism in the event that a cap is not fed to each can body, said means comprising a normally engaged clutch -mechanism controlling the operation of the can and cap feed mechanisms, clutch operating means rendered operative by a can positioned for the reception of a cap to disengage said clutch mechanism, and' means connected with said clutch operating means and adapted, when engaged by a cap fed to position in synchronism with the can, to render lsaid clutch operating means ineffective. l

2. In combination with a seaming machine, a continuously and positively operating device for consecutively feeding cans to' the machine at equal intervals, a can cap feeding mechanism operating in synchronism therewith and normally acting to feed can caps to can bodies passing therebeneath, means for automatically interrupting the operation of the can and the cap feeding mechanism in the event that a cap is nogtggfed t0 each can body, said means being en able with the cans and caps as they are being fed, and also operably connected to a. driving clutch on a driving shaft from which the can and cap'feed mechanisms obtain operating power.

3. In combination with a seamingf machine, a continuous and positively operating device for consecutively feeding cans to the machine at equal intervals, a can cap feeding mechanism operating in synchronism therewith and normally acting to feed can caps to can bodies passing therebeneath, means for automatically interrupting the operation of the can and cap feeding mechanism in the event that a cap is not fed to each can body, said means comprising a clutch on a drive shaft from which the can and cap feed mechanism obtain motion, normally ineffective clutch disengaging means, a feeler lever operatively connected to said clutch disengaging means and in a position to engage the caps as they are fed to the cans, means normally maintaining said feeler lever inoperative, said means being aetuated by the cans'to release said feeler lever whereby it may engage the cap being fed'to ythe-can engaging said means, engagement of the feeler lever with the cap maintaining the clutch disengaging means ineffective, said feeler lever operating to render said clutch disengaging means effective in the event the cap is not fed.

4. In combination with a se-aming machine, a continuous and positively operating device for consecutively feeding cans to the machine at equal intervals, a can cap feeding mechanism operating` in synchronism therewith and normally acting to feed can caps to can bodies passing therebeneath, means for automatically interrupting the operation o f the can and cap feed mechanism in the event that a cap is not fed to each can body, said means comprising a clutch on the driving shaft from which the can and cap feed mechanisms obtain operating motion, normally effective clutch disengaging means, a feeler lever ,operatively connected to said clutch disengaging means,

and in a position to engage the caps as they are fed to the cans, a trip lever normally maintaining said feeler lever inoperative, said trip lever being engageable with the cans as they are fed and actuated by such engagement to release said feeler lever whereby it may engage the cap being fed to the can engagingthe trip lever, engagement of the feeler lever with a cap maintaining theclutch disengaging means ineffective, said feeler lever operating to render said clutch disengaging means effective in the event a cap is not fed.

5. In combination with a seaming machine, a continuous andA positively operating device for consecutively feeding cans to the machine at equal intervals, a can cap ,feeding mechanism operating in synchronism therewith and normally acting to feed can caps to can bodies passing therebeneath, means for automatically interrupting the operation of the can and cap feed mechanism in the event that a cap is not fed to each can body, saidy means comprising a clutch on the driving shaft from which the can and cap feed mechanisms obtain operating motion, a star cam. operated by the feed mechanisms, a pawl connected with the clutch and adapted when engaged with the can to cause disengagement of the clutch, a feeler lever operatively connected with the pawl and in a position where it-may engage the caps as they are fed tothe cans, a trip lever normally maintaining the said feeler lever in a position holding said pawl from engagement with the cam, said trip lever being engagealole with the cans as they are fed and actuated by such engagement to release said fee-ler lever whereby it may operate to engage the cap Ifed to the can engaging the trip lever, enga-gement of the feeler lever with a cap being fed maintaining the pawl from engagement with the cam, said feeler lever causing engagement of the pawl with the cam in the event a cap 1s not fed.

HENRY L. GUENTHER. 

